TURKEY – Police are searching the houses of representatives of the Taksim Solidarity Platform, which has also has called on prosecutors to release 48 protesters – including their leading figures – who were detained on July 8 in the fierce police intervention in Gezi Park. The platform has been standing against the redevelopment plans for the park from the beginning, and was involved in the initial protests that sparked the nation-wide anti-government demonstrations at the end of May.

Police started a search in the house of the recently detained Secretary of the Chamber of Architects Mücella Yapıcı, as well as eight other addresses linked to other Taksim Solidarity Platform members, the group announced. CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – The Justice and Development Party (AKP) votes ensured the passing of a late-night bill regarding occupational chambers in the June 9 parliamentary session. The move was interpreted by most of the community as a payback for the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architechs’ (TMMOB) vocal support for the ongoing Gezi movement.

The unforeseen proposal, which removes the TMMOB from any involvement in city planning processes and their authority to approve plans, raised concern from opposition benches, with main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy group leader Akif Hamzaçebi describing the proposal as “part of government’s witch hunt over Gezi Park.” CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – Ali İsmail Korkmaz, a 19-year-old protester who was beaten by “unidentified” people during ‘Gezi Park Protests’ on June 2nd in Eskişehir had passed away due to his injuries today in hospital.

Korkmaz was brutally beaten by a group wearing civilian clothes, as he was trying to escape a police tear gas attack. His heart stopped working today at around 11 a.m., The attackers have not been detained. There have been suspicions that the assaulters might be undercover cops. CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – The Turkish authorities must immediately release peaceful Gezi Park demonstrators who were detained in Taksim yesterday. They must also investigate allegations of the excessive use of force after riot police used tear gas and water canons to clear the square and neighbouring Gezi Park, Amnesty International said.

“The authorities in Turkey have the duty to ensure people can peacefully gather and express their views,” said John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Director at Amnesty International. CONTINUE READING

TURKEY — Istanbul’s Gezi Park that was at the center of weeks of anti-government demonstrations opened for a few hours Monday, but Turkish authorities quickly closed it and fired a water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters heading to the area for a planned rally.

The attack — the second by police on protesters since Saturday — occurred on a main pedestrian road leading to Istanbul’s landmark Taksim Square and adjacent Gezi Park. CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – One person was killed on Friday in south-east Turkey as paramilitary forces fired shots to disperse hundreds of people protesting against the expansion of a police station, according to local officials. The victim was identified as 18-year-old Medeni Yıldırım. Nine people were also wounded, two of CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – A report by the Children on the Agenda – Gündem Çocuk – Association covered violations of children’s rights between May 28 and June 25. According to the report almost 300 children were taken into custody and at least one child was wounded by a bullet during CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – The National Police had bought 150,000 tear gas cartridges in 2013 according to its annual plan. However, during the ‘Gezi Park Protests’ which started in Istanbul on May 31 and spread to 77 provinces across Turkey, riot police used 130,000 CONTINUE READING